Regatta
* 1 July 1991 * 23 October 1992 |previous episode=Trapped |next episode=Munitions}} Regatta (re-titled 4th July for the VHS version) is the fourth episode of TUGS. Plot On the day before a regatta, Ten Cents and Sunshine take fuel to Lillie Lightship and tell her about it. Lillie is left out, as she is anchored in the bay outside Bigg City Port and won't be able to see any of it from Dem Der Rocks. Ten Cents affirms the sentiment, as it is a shame. That night, a big fog comes down, and Lillie hears a tramp steamer coming towards her at full speed. She tries to warn the tramp steamer about the nearby rocks with her foghorn, but to no replies. The tramp steamer emerges from the fog, strikes Lillie at her port side, and carries on towards the rocks. But it's too late as the tramp steamer crashes into the rocks, slips backwards and sinks rapidly. Lillie is now in trouble, with a huge hole on her port side close to her bow, water rushes into her power room, knocking her light out of action. By morning, Lillie is slowly sinking and still cannot see anyone to help her until Grampus arrives. Grampus finds out that if he tries to tow Lillie into Bigg City Port, she can take in more water and sink. Instead he uses his face to plug the hole so that he can keep Lillie afloat until real help comes. Fortunately, a small fishing boat sees the situation and heads for Bigg City Port to inform the Coast Guard's Messenger. Back at the Star Dock, everyone is getting excited about the Regatta until the Coast Guard's Messenger arrives and tells them about Lillie sinking. Captain Star tells O.J. to collect Mighty Mo and Ten Cents to collect a timber barge. Now, the Star Tugs will have to forget about the regatta for a while, much to the annoyance of Top Hat. Ten Cents arrives at Lucky's Yard to collect a timber barge, only to discover that Zorran, Zip and Zug are there and need a timber barge as well. Ten Cents takes the only timber barge available anyway, and sets off to the rescue. At the rescue scene, Ten Cents cannot believe his eyes when he discovers Grampus stuck in Lillie's hole. He cannot help but laugh since it looks very funny to him. Mighty Mo, on Lillie's starboard side, lifts Lillie while Ten Cents pulls Grampus out of the hole. O.J. announces the towing of Lillie to Lucky's Yard. Ten Cents is telling Big Mac about Lillie and Grampus when they get an unexpected visit from Bluenose, who is looking for Grampus. Grampus arrives and tells Ten Cents and Big Mac that he is going to be blown up by the Navy. Bluenose goes on to explain that, instead of Grampus rotting away in a breaker's yard, they want to use him for target practice. But Ten Cents objects, considering Grampus is still very useful for them. Bluenose says that, for the navy, Grampus is old and out of date and orders Grampus back to base: "Target practice at fourteen hundred hours!" As Bluenose takes Grampus away, Ten Cents tries to shout to Grampus to go against what is happening, but Grampus is hopeless, and the two solemnly say goodbye to each other. Big Mac tells Ten Cents to tell O.J. about the Navy's plan. Quickly as he can, Ten Cents arrives at the Star Dock and tells O.J. about Grampus' fate. O.J. makes a plan and explains it to Ten Cents and Top Hat. Ten Cents is sent to Lucky's Yard, where Zorran, Zip and Zug are still present. Zorran is angry about Ten Cents returning, and Zug jokes about how Ten Cents "needs" the log barge, but Ten Cents absolutely does not care and brazenly takes the log barge. Zorran barks at Ten Cents to leave it but is completely ignored. Back at the Star Dock, O.J. explains his plan to rescue Grampus to Big Mac and Sunshine. But Top Hat is still unsure if they should interfere. Sunshine tries to get Top Hat to see the spirit of the plan. Top Hat relinquishes, but he still wants to make it quick so that he doesn't miss the regatta, especially since he will be leading it. Soon, Ten Cents turns up, and once they attach a white target flag at each end of the log barge, Ten Cents, Big Mac, O.J. and Top Hat set off to the rescue. Out at sea, Bluenose tells Grampus (with white target flags on him) that he has been a very good submarine, but the Navy has got no further use for him, which Grampus agrees to. As soon as Bluenose gets clear of the target practices, Grampus sees the Star Tugs coming towards him and tells them to stay clear. Top Hat gets a panic attack about being in the danger zone, but O.J. and Big Mac tell him to keep moving. Quickly, Ten Cents gets a stern line onto Grampus and Big Mac cuts his stern line from the log barge, carrying the white target flags. As soon as the Star Tugs and Grampus clear away, the Navy start firing at the log barge which gets totally destroyed. Home at last, O.J. brings up the question of where they should hide Grampus. Top Hat's displeasure is turned onto the arrival of Zorran and the two Zero switchers, who are looking for their timber. Top Hat tries to get Zorran to move off, but Zorran moves past Top Hat and finds Grampus. Zorran concludes that this is stealing government property - until Hercules turns up and tells Zorran to move off. Zorran, knowing that he cannot fool Hercules, does move off. As Zorran leaves, he gives a warning that they will certainly hear about this from the Navy, and Top Hat heads off to Captain Star. At the garbage dump, the garbage master tells Warrior to do a quick check on the decorated Lord Stinker and Jack. Warrior jokes about the colourful garbage, but Lord Stinker makes a nice comment on the banner above him. The garbage master gives Warrior the go ahead to leave. He tells Warrior to just join in the regatta and be proud of the Municipal Garbage Corporation. Warrior heads off with the colourful garbage barge Lord Stinker, thanking the garbage master and laughing about how it has been "a most enjoyable day". At last, the regatta is ready. The Princess Alice is the commentator, and as soon as the cannon fires, the parade starts. Top Hat leads off, with shipmates O.J., Big Mac and Warrior following him. Then, Zak from the Zero Fleet comes into view towing the Corporation Lightship, while Zip and Zug the Zero switchers bring up the rear towing a new upriver breakfast - wood and bananas. Then, Ten Cents towing Little Ditcher and Sunshine towing Sally Seaplane come into view, with Hercules following behind them, just by himself. Lastly, Zorran turns up towing the loudest barge of the day with music from the famous Bridge Café Band. After the parade, the Princess Alice announces that all the tugs have won a prize. That night, O.J. gathers all the other Star Tugs outside Lucky's Yard. The lights turn on and on the quayside is Lillie Lightship, repaired and floating again. Lillie is very happy to see the regatta for herself. Suddenly, Grampus surfaces carrying the Star flags, with the news that the Navy sold him to Captain Star, so he's in the Star Fleet now. The tugs blow their hooters happily, and welcome Grampus as the new recruit. Characters * Captain Star * Ten Cents * Big Mac * O.J. * Top Hat * Warrior * Hercules * Sunshine * Grampus * Zorran * Zug * Bluenose * Coast Guard's Messenger * Lillie Lightship * Lord Stinker * Princess Alice * Mighty Mo * O. Krappenschmitt * The Navy Ship * Zak (does not speak) * Zip (does not speak) * Jack (does not speak) * Sally Seaplane (does not speak) * Little Ditcher (does not speak) * Coast Guard (does not speak) * Zebedee (cameo) * Fire Tug (cameo) * Fultan Ferry (cameo) * Big Mickey (cameo) * Izzy Gomez (cameo) * Duchess (cameo) * Shrimpers (cameos) VHS Version Exclusive * Zip * Jack * Captain Zero (mentioned) * The Navy Ship (does not speak) Locations * Dem Der Rocks * Star Dock * Lucky's Yard * Municipal Garbage Corporation * San Juan Bananas * The Canal * The Breaker's Yard (mentioned) * Bridge Café (mentioned) * Fire Dept (background) * The Seaplane Hangar (background) * Old Docks (background) Trivia Goofs Category:Episodes